US3025891A - Wire forming mechanism with selectively operable forming tools - Google Patents

Description

March 20, 1962 M. G. CLAY 3,025,891

WIRE FORMING MECHANISM WITH SELECTIVELY OPERABLE FORMING TOOLS Filed Dec. 27, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 1|||| I IIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIllllllllllll l llllllllllllll I NVENTOR MURRAY G.CLAY

BY MAWM ATTY.

March 20, 1962 Filed Dec. 27, 1957 M. G. CLAY WIRE FORMING MECHANISM WITH SELECTIVELY OPERABLE FORMING TOOLS 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MURRAY G. CLAY b afia ATTY.

March 20, 1962 M. G. CLAY 3,025,891

WIRE FORMING MECHANISM WITH SELECTIVELY OPERABLE FORMING TOOLS Filed Dec. 27, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 F .3 TIL? U H INVENTOR. MURRAY G. CLAY ATTY- March 20, 1962 M. CLAY 3,025,891

WIRE FORMING MECHANISM WITH SELECTIVELY OPERABLE FORMING TOOLS Filed D80. 27, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR MURRAY G. CLAY ATTY.

March 20, 1962 M. G. CLAY WIRE FORMING MECHANISM WITH SELECTIVELY OPERABLE FORMING TOOLS 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 27, 1957 ZNVENTOR. MURRAY G. LAY

BY WWW ATTY.

March 20,- 1962 M. G. CLAY 3,025,891

WIRE FORMING MECHANISM WITH SELECTIVELY OPERABLE FORMING TOOLS Filed Dec. 27, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR'. MURRAY G-CLAY ATTY,

March 20, 1962 M. G. CLAY 3,025,891

WIRE FORMING MECHANISM WITH SELECTIVELY OPERABLE FORMING TOOLS Filed Dec. 27, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR.

Q '6 5 MURRAY Gy BY z ATTY.

WIRE FEED TABLE March 20, 1962 Filed Dec. 27, 1957 M. G. CLAY WIRE FORMING MECHANISM WITH SELECTIVELY OPERABLE FORMING TOOLS 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 fi N o a fifl s b P Q o o 3 4 F m I 6 r ew \B Q N LN-75193 3 3 3 M o I Z t S 5 I q U U 5 MM INVENTOR MURRAY G.CLAY

ATTY.

United States Patent Office 3,025,891 Patented Mar. 20, 1962 3 025 891 WIRE FORMING MizcIiANIsM WITH SELEC- TIVELY OPERABLE FORMING TOOLS Murray G. Clay, Evanston, Ill., assignor to The Baird Machine Company, Stratford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Dec. 27, 1957, Ser. No. 705,522 12 Claims. (Cl. 140-71) The present invention relates to spring forming machines of the type wherein predetermined lengths of Wire are fed successively and longitudinally from a length of continuous spring wire stock into coaction with a hardened steel tool adjustably mounted in the path of wire feed so as to be capable of assuming various compound angles relatively to the direction of feed at a wire shaping station for coiling, bending or otherwise shaping the wire into springs of different forms, the completed springs being severed in the intervals between successive operations of the feeding mechanism.

Spring forming machines of this general character are commonly referred to as universal coilers by virtue of their ability to produce springs which vary widely in their form or shape. Universal coilers of this type were originally designed to produce springs having either open or closed convolutions of barrel or cone shape, or with longitudinal portions thereof having different diameters, all of such springs being uniformly circular in cross section and having their end convolutions cut off on the circumference of the last formed coil. Springs of this nature are generally termed tension or compression springs, depending upon the use to which they are to be put. More recently, universal coiling machines have been designed whereby the machine is capable of producing not only tension and compression springs of various forms, but also what is generally referred to as torsion springs and which are characterized by uncoiled terminal ends extending in the manner of a tangent at an angle to the spring axis for purposes of attaching the spring in a desired manner.

Subsequent innovations in spring coiling machinery have led to the production of a universal coiler which, by providing for certain automatic adjustments of the wire shaping tool, can produce coiled springs which are non-circular in transverse cross section and in which each convolution of the spring includes a series of curved cold worked increments connected together by a series of intervening straight unworked increments. In this manner it is possible to make coiled tension, compression or torsion springs which are of flattened cylindrical configuration with two flattened sides, or which are roughly rectangular in transverse cross section, or which possess irregular contours which are within the forming ability of a single Wire deflecting and bending tool associated with any given machine.

Present day universal coiling spring forming machines vary in their ability to produce diversified spring shapes solely by virtue of the nature of the adjustments which may be made to the wire forming tool during spring feeding operations. In other words, the more varied the compound angles which the tool is capable of assuming relative to the direction of wire feed, and the greater the rapidity with which the tool may be shifted between its various adjusted positions, the more diversified will be the character of the springs which are capable of being produced by the machine. Furthermore, such present day universal coiling machines, being predicated upon the use of a single forming tool, are limited to the production of springs which are unidirectionally curvilinear. In other words, although such machines make provision for projecting the tool into the path of movement of the wire undergoing feeding at any desired distance from the point of feed and for holding the thus projected tool stationary while a predetermined length of wire is fed to produce a given coiled section, or withdrawn from such path of movement while the wire is being fed to produce a given straight section, the fact that the tool, within very small limits, maintains its same general radial position relatively to the longitudinal direction of Wire feed, limits the wire bending or shaping operation of which the tool is capable, to the production of springs in which all the curved increments thereof are either right hand curves or bends extending in a counterclockwise direction or left hand bends extending in a clockwise direction, depending, of course, upon the initial mounting of the tool in the machine at the spring forming or shaping station. Actual forming operations thus take place not only in a single plane but they also take place within that plane in one direction only. Such machines are incapable of producing spring shapes having medial right or left hand lateral offset portions, reverse bends, reentrant portions and other sectional spring shapes which require universal projection of the spring in any direction from the point of wire feed, except insofar as the automatic operation of the machine may be modified by manual operations of the character that usually require stopping of the machine in its mid-cycle.

The present invention is designed to overcome the above-noted limitations that are attendant upon the use of conventional universal coiling machines, and, toward this end, it contemplates the provision of a novel wire shaping mechanism which is capable of being embodied in a universal coiling machine, is capable of producing not only all of the spring shapes which may be produced by such conventional machines, as outlined above, but is also capable of producing a large variety of spring shapes wherein the wire stock undergoing feeding may be deflected from its point of emergence from the wire feeding mechanism in an infinite number of directions to produce spring forms having curvilinear sections of uniformly large, uniformly small or varying radii of curvature, curvilinear sections which consist of either right or left hand curves, curved or straight sections which are connected together by abrupt or gradual bends, acute or obtuse sharply defined bends, loops, coils, spirals, curls, whorls, reentrant portions, and any combination of such sectional shapes connected in end-to-end relationship at various angles to each other to produce a wide variety of springs or wire shapes hitherto incapable of being made by universal spring coiling machinery.

It is among the general objects of the invention to provide a spring forming or shaping apparatus which possesses the attributes set forth above, and is capable of producing a wide variety of spring shapes as heretofore outlined. In carrying out this object, the invention contemplates the provision of a novel fully automatic, cyclicly operable wire shaping mechanism which embodies means associated therewith whereby a continuous length of spring wire stock is forcibly projected through an elongated confining bore in a guide member, contemplates allowing the wire to issue from a discharge orifice which is shaped in a specific manner effectively to cooperate with a series of wire forming tools which may be selectively brought into forming register with the orifice, either singly or in groups of two or more tools, at appropriate times in the machine cycle to produce a predetermined spring form, and thereafter severing the completed form from the wire stock.

The provision of an apparatus of the character briefly outlined above being among the principal objects of the present invention, another important object is to provide such an apparatus utilizing forming tools which operate in converging fashion at different angles from the direction of wire feed, and are so guided in their automatic movements into and out of register with the wire feeding orifice that it is possible to form complicated bends, curves and other shapes in the wire undergoing treatment without interference between the working portions of the tools.

A similar and related object of the invention is to provide an apparatus or mechanism of this character wherein the wire guide in the immediate vicinity of the discharge orifice thereof is relieved in such a manner that adequate clearance is provided for proper movement of the tools in the vicinity of the orifice and in which the tools themselves are so shaped as to cooperate with the relieved portions of the wire guide, as well as to cooperate with each other, in such a manner as to permit a wide latitude of movement of the tools in the forming region, and also to permit the formed wire. tailing, which is not severed fromthe orifice until the spring shape has been completed, to swing throughout the various angles required of it during formation of the spring form without interfering with the movements of the tools and without becoming wedged between any given tool and a stationary portion of the machine and consequently damaged thereby. Stated in other words, it is an object of the invention to provide a mechanism of the character under consideration wherein the completed portions of the wire form undergoing shaping are allowed wide latitude of free swinging movement from the end of the wire guide under the influence of the shaping tools without interference while the spring is undergoing formation.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide a wire shaping apparatus or mechanism, utilizing a plurality of selectively operable wire forming tools, wherein each tool is provided with an individual tool holder and movable supporting means therefor, the various assemblies including the tool holders and their supporting means being conveniently nested in an extremely compact arrangement about the wire guide in such a manner that each assembly may operate independently of the others without interference therefrom in any position of the various tools.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire forming apparatus or mechanism of the aforementioned type and in which each wire forming tool, through the media of its respecitve tool holder and movable supporting means therefor, is individually mounted for swinging movement into and out of register with the wire feeding orifice about an axis remote from the working portion of the tool and which axis is disposed transversely of the direction of wire feed, is offset laterally from the wire undergoing feeding, and is disposed in a plane on the side of the wire feed orifice opposite the tool when the latter is in its position of register with the orifice, with the tool and pivotal axis being disposed on opposite sides of the wire undergoing feeding so that upon rocking movement of the tool supporting instrumentalities bodily as a unit, the operating portion of the tool may recede from its advanced position in register with the wire discharge orifice backwardly along the side of the wire guide to allow greater freedom of movement of other tools which may be selected for wire forming operations when these latter tools are brought into register with the orifice.

Yet another object of the invention, in an apparatus or mechanism of this character, is to provide novel wire forming tools and mounting means therefor, together with novel means whereby the various wire forming tools may be manually adjusted to alter their angular positions in the longitudinal plane of the wire undergoing feeding when any of the tools are in complete register with the orifice so that the movements which are automatically imparted to the adjusted tool during normal apparatus functioning will produce partial or full spring coils in the wire stock of either increased or decreased diameter at any given time during shaping of the wire stock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wireforming apparatus having a series of selectively movable wire-forming tools as outlined above, including novel means whereby each tool may be manually turned in a transverse plane of the wire undergoing feeding so that when the tool is moved into register with the wire discharge orifice during normal wire forming operations, the wire issuing from the latter may be deflected in different radial directions.

Still another object of the invention, in an apparatus or mechanism of this sort, is to provide novel means whereby each of the entire tool supporting assemblies, including the tool holder and its movable support, may be shifted laterally along the axis of swinging movement of the tools to move the operative wire shaping surface of the tool slightly out of register with the orifice to effect certain special wire forming operations whereby the spring wire issuing from the orifice will have imparted to it increments of lateral deflection which are superimposed upon the wire undergoing formation in addition to the wire bending or coiling functions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire shaping mechanism which is capable of use in connection with a universal coiling machine of the intermittent wire feed type and has associated therewith a novel form of auxiliary wire feeding mechanism which may, when desired, be rendered effective to impart either initial Wire feeding movements before normal wire feeding operations in the machine cycle have commenced, or additional wire feeding movements after such normal wire feeding operations in the machine cycle have been terminated, so that a special terminal end section or sections may be applied to one or both ends of the spring form if desired.

The provision of a wire forming mechanism which is extremely compact and which, therefore, consumes little space; one which, considering the complex functions of which it is capable of performing, is comprised of a minimtun number of moving parts and which, therefore, is unlikely to get out of order; one which is rugged and durable and which, therefore, is possessed of a comparatively long life; one in which the various operating parts thereof are conveniently accessible for purposes of inspection, substitution of wire forming tools, wire guides and the like, replacement of parts or repeair; one in which many of the adjustments of which the machine is capable may be made while the machine is in operation; one in which extremely close tolerances are preserved, particularly in the movements of the wire forming tools and which, therefore, is capable of producing spring forms which are consistently uniform; one which is well adapted for use in producing exceedingly small spring forms made from fine hair-like wire on the order of a mil or less; one which is extremely rapid in its operation and which, therefore, will produce a large number of spring forms over any given period of time, and one which otherwise is well adapted to perform the services required of it, are further desirable features which have been home in mind in the production and development of the present invention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, not at this time enumerated, will become more readily apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood from the following detailed description.

In the accompanying eight sheets of drawings forming a part of this specification or disclosure, an exemplary form of the invention has been illustrated.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view, schematic in its representation, of a spring forming apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention and illustrating one of four complete power trains employed in connection with the invention and by means of which the movements of an associated wire shaping tool are automatically controlled during the formation of a predetermined spring shape;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a unitary assembly embodying the wire shaping mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail perspective view of a tool holder assembly associated with the wire shaping mechanism of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4a is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one of a plurality of abutment tools utilized in connection with the invention;

FIG. 4b is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4b4b of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view, somewhat schematic in its representation, showing the wire shaping instrumentalities in the vicinity of the wire shaping station, together with certain adjustable cam-operated linkage mechanism by means of which the movements of the wire shaping tools are automatically controlled;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the wire feeding mechanism employed in the present apparatus;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a wire cutoff mechanism associated with the wire shaping apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 1 0 1t of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an exemplary wire shape capable of being formed and cut from a continuous length of wire stock by the shaping apparatus of the present invention, the wire shape when produced, serving to bring into play all of the operative wire shaping tools associated with the mechanism;

FIG. U2 is a perspective view of another exemplary wire shape in the form of a helical coil having laterally projecting end extensions and likewise being capable of being formed by the present wire shaping mechanism;

FIG. 13 is a tabular chart illustrating the relative dimensions of the various sections of the spring shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic view illustrating schematically the manner in which the various wire shaping tools of the present invention cooperate with the wire feeding guide member or quill during formation of the wire shape of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 15 is a cam chart showing the operation of the various control cams employed in connection with the invention.

PRELIMINARY DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings in detail, and in particular to FIGS. 1, 3 and 6, the manufacture of springs or other wire forms, utilizing the apparatus of the present invention, is predicated upon the positive forcing of a continuous length of spring wire stock W through an elongated confining bore 10 provided in a guide member 12 while simultaneously driving the Wire as it issues from the bore 10 against a series of wire forming tools or dies 14, 16, 18 and 20 which are selectively brought into forming register with the end of the bore 10 at appropriate times in the apparatus cycle to produce a predetermined spring form, and thereafter severing the completed spring form from the wire stock W by means of a cut-off tool or knife 22, and repeating the cycle immediately after the severing operation without stopping the apparatus.

The spring forming apparatus of the present invention is so designed that the selective positioning of the various Wire forming tools '14, 16, 18 and 20 in register with the wire-confining bore 10 may be brought about in a controlled manner under the influence of automatically operable cam-controlled mechanisms, one for each tool, each mechanism being designated in its entirety at 24 (see FIG. 6), whereby the angularity of the tool surfaces against which the wire is driven or impinges relative to the longitudinal axis of the bore, as well as its lateral displacement or extent of offset from the bore axis, may be automatically adjusted within very fine limits to obtain desired variations in spring form. Additionally, means are provided whereby the position of each tool may be manually adjusted so that when the cam-controlled mechanism which controls its movement during the apparatus cycle is set into operation, precalculated positions of orientation of the tool will be compounded, so to speak, by virtue of the setting of the tool in its holder and by virtue of the subsequent path of movement which is applied to the holder by the cam actuated mechanism. Furthermore, the respective paths of movement of the various tools between their retracted positions wherein they are out of register with the wire confining bore and their advanced positions wherein they are in such register are at wide variance so that each tool, as it moves into register with the bore, will deflect the wire issuing from the bore in a diiferent direction, and so that the tool, if maintained in such register during appreciable wire feeding operations, will deflect the wire for coiling purposes in a diiferent direction.

The apparatus is completely cyclic and automatic in its operation and the various cams, subsequently to be described, which control the movements of the wire forming tools are initially cut, adjusted, or otherwise shaped so that during any given apparatus cycle the necessary movements of these various tools will take place in the proper sequence and in the proper manner to impart to the wire stock being fed to the tools the desired shape characteristics to produce a spring of a predetermined character.

The wire shaping apparatus or mechanism of the present invention, including the previously mentioned wire forming tools or dies and cam-operating mechanisms therefor, is in the form of a novel assemblage of parts which have been illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and which assembly has been designated in its entirety at 30. In the schematic representation of FIG. 1, this wire shaping mechanism has been enclosed in the broken line rectangle designated at 30. This wire shaping mechanism is adapted to be embodied as a complete unit in a machine assembly having driving mechanism capable of imparting to the various operative moving pants thereof the necessary movements. Although a complete machine embodying the wire shaping mechanism or assembly 30 has not been illustrated in detail herein, it is understood that such a machine will embody a stationary framework including a base, upstanding side members or plates, horizontal, longitudinal and transverse frame members, struts, braces, supporting brackets and the like, all of which may be designed according to engineering expediencies to constitute a support for the various driving instrumentalities, as well as for the wire shaping assembly 30. In FIG. 1, the assembly 30 is shown as being embodied in a suitable machine having such a stationary framework. A fragmentary portion of the base of such framework has been designated in its entirety at 32 and the remainder of the framework, wherever it appears, has been designated at 34.

Still referring to FIG. 1, all of the operative instrumentalities are adapted to be driven by an electric motor M suitably mounted on the machine base 32. The motor M is provided with a drive shaft 36 which is operatively connected to an idler shaft 38 by a conventional belt and pulley arrangement 4%. The shaft 38 carries a pinion 42 which meshes with a relatively large gear 44 mounted on a shaft 46 which constitutes the driving shaft of the wire shaping assembly 30 of the present invention, as well as constituting the actuating shaft by means of which a feed roll drive mechanism designated in its entirety at 4-3 (see FIG. 1) is adapted to be driven. The shaft 46 is connected through a coupling 47 to a coaxial shaft 49 which constitutes the power input shaft for the mechanism 30. The feed roll drive mechanism 48 is operatively as sociated with a pair of feed rolls including an upper roller 50 and a lower roller 52 (see also FIGS. 2 and 8), which rollers receive therebetween the wire stock W undergoing feeding and are adapted to be intermittently actuated, i.e., once during each apparatus cycle, to feed the wire stock into and through the bore 10 provided in the guide member 12. The feed rollers 50 and 52 constitute elements of the spring shaping mechanism 39 of the present invention.

The shaft 49 has operatively disposed thereon a cam mechanism designated in its entirety at 54 (see FIGS. 1 and 9) which is operable through adjustable linkage mechanism 56 to actuate the cut-off knife 22, all in a manner that will be made clear subsequently.

The feed roll drive mechanism 48 has associated therewith =an auxiliary one-way clutch device 58 (see FIGS. 1 and 8) operable, if desired, at the end of wire feeding operations to impart limited additional feeding movements to the feed rollers 50, 52 beyond that imparted to them by the feed mechanism proper 48 to produce a specific end configuration in the spring shape which otherwise could not be produced during normal wire feeding operations. The clutch 58 is operable under the control of a cam mechanism 60 operatively mounted on the shaft 49 and capable of adjustment under the control of an adjustable linkage mechanism 62 as will likewise be described in greater detail presently.

THE WIRE FEEDING MECHANISM As best seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 8, the lower feed roller 52 is mounted on one end of a horizontal shaft 64- rotatably jou-rnalled in the framework of the assembly 30. The shaft 64- carries a gear 66 which meshes with a similar gear 68 provided on a shaft 70, the latter shaft carrying the upper feed roll 50. The shaft 64 extends through the auxiliary clutch device 58 and is operatively connected through a coupling device 74 to a feed roll drive shaft 76. The shaft 76 extends through a one-way or indexing clutch 78 having associated therewith a driving sleeve 89 carrying a pinion 82 thereon. The nature of the indexing clutch 78 is such that when the pinion 82 is rotated in one direction, the clutch will become engaged and the sleeve 80 will impart rotational movement to the shaft 76 in a direction to cause the feed rolls t and 52 to feed the wire stock W to the bore in the guide member 12. When the pinion 82 is rotated in the other direction, the sleeve 80 is inoperative to engage the shaft 76 so that the clutch 78 overruns the shaft 76 and the feed rolls remain stationary. The clutch 78 is similar in its construction and operation to the clutch 58 and normally this latter clutch allows the shaft to rotate freely under the influence of the clutch 78. However, at the end of wire feeding operations when the shaft 64 is at a standstill, the cam mechanism 60 may be brought into operation to impart an additional displacement of the linkage mechanism 62 to, in turn, impart a limited amount of additional driving motion to the shaft 64 in a manner and for a purpose that will be made clear presently.

The pinion 82 meshes with a gear 84 provided on an idler shaft 86 rotatably mounted in the apparatus framework. The gear 84 remains in constant mesh with an arcuate gear segment 90 carried at the distal end of an oscillatory segment arm 92, the proximal end of the arm being mounted on a rock shaft 94. The arm is provided with a longitudinally extending guideway into which projects a crank pin 96 having an anti-friction roller 98 thereon. The crank pin 96 is eccentrically mounted on a drive wheel 100 carried on the shaft 46. The radial dis placement of the crank pin 96 from the axis of rotation of the wheel 10% is adapted to be varied by conventional screw and block adjusting mechanism designated in its entirety at 106 in FIG. 8.

From the above description it will be seen that when the machine is in operation with the motor M running, an operative power train will be established from the motor shaft 36 through the belt and pulley arrangement 44 idler shaft 38, gears 42 and 44-, and shaft 46 to the drive wheel 100. Continuous rotation of the drive wheel 100, will, through the media of the crank pin assembly 96, 98, and the guideway 95, cause oscillation of the arm 92, such oscillation, in turn, causing the idler shaft and gear 84 to oscillate. Oscillation of the gear 84 is transmitted to the gear 82 associated with the indexing clutch 78 and, as previously described, the oscillatory movements of the gear 82 in one direction are transmitted by the clutch assembly 78 to the shaft 76, while oscillatory movements of the gear 82 in the opposite direction are ineffective to rotate the shaft 76. The shaft 76 is thus intermittently rotated in one direction and such intermittent rotation is imparted through the coupling member 74 to the shaft 64 which in turn normally transmits its motion to the shaft 70 which carries the upper feed roller 50. The gears 66 and 68 are identical in diameter and, therefore, the shafts 64 and 70, and consequently, the feed rolls 52 and 50, are intermittently rotated in opposite directions at the same speed.

The wire stock W, a fragmentary portion of which has been shown in FIG. 2, is fed from a suitable source, as, for example, a conventional rotatable wire feeding reel (not shown), to the feed rolls 5t and 52, the wire being threaded through the assembly 30 in any suitable manner so as to avoid contact with the operative parts of the apparatus. The wire is gripped between the two rollers by the opposed pressure exerted thereon, and thus, when the rolls are rotated in a feeding direction during each apparatus cycle, a predetermined length of the wire stock W is forced into and through the guide member 12 in a manner that will be set forth presently.

The adjustment of the radial position of the crank pin 96 on the drive wheel 100 provides a Wide range of wire feed increments, and furthermore, this range of feed may be increased by changing the ratio of the various gears which comprise the power train leading from the motor M to the gear 82, it being merely necessary that the choice of gears be made so that the power required to force the wire to and through the guide member 12 is within the rating of the driving motor M.

The arrangement of parts thus far described in connection with the wire feed mechanism is more or less conventional except insofar as it may have a novel association with the instrumentalities which comprise the wire shaping mechanism 36 and it will be understood that other forms of wire feeding mechanism may be employed, it being merely necessary that they embody means for actuating the feed rolls 50, 52 in the same manner as the illustrated form of wire feed mechanism, and that suitable means be provided for establishing a power train from the motor M to the input shaft 49 of the mechanism 30.

THE WIRE SHAPING MECHANISM 30 Frame Structure and General Considerations Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the operative instrumentalities of the wire shaping mechanism 30 are operatively mounted in a cage-like rectangular structure.

The cage-like structure is fixedly supported in an appropriate position of orientation in the framework 34 and, when operatively assembled in the apparatus, it may be regarded as a portion of such framework. The frame structure includes front and rear plates 104 and 106, respectively, upper and lower horizontal side rails 114 and 116, respectively, vertical side plates 118 and 120 adjacent to the rear end of the apparatus, and horizontal medially disposed upper and lower plates 122 and 124 which extend across the side rails 114 and 116, respectively. At the front end of the machine, the plate 104 has fixedly mounted thereon a pair of forwardly extending generally triangular supporting members or standards 128 which provide a pivotal support for a cut-off knife assembly which has been designated in its entirely at 130 (see FIG. 2), and the nature and function of which will be set forth in detail subsequently. The various structural members thus far described and which comprise the frame structure for the assembly 30 are secured together in any suitable manner, as, for example, by clamping bolts 132 or the like.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, the space which exists immediately forwardly of the central region of the front plate 104 constitutes what is hereinafter referred to as the wire-forming station, this station being designated generally at S. The previously mentioned wire guide 12 discharges the spring wire stock W which is forced therethrough into this region and the various wire forming tools 14, 16, 18 and 20, as well as the cut-off knife 22, perform their respective wire forming and cutting operations at this station S.

The Wire Guide Means As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the spring wire stock W issuing from the feed rolls, 50, 52 is conducted from the rolls to the forming station S in the form of a rigid moving column of wire which passes first through a composite guide structure 140 and thereafter through the guide member 12 which constitutes a final guide for the wire. If desired, a preliminary guide member 142 may be employed to conduct the wire stock W to the feed rolls. To avoid confusion, in the following description, the composite guide 140 will be referred to as such while the guide member 12 will be referred to as the guide quill inasmuch as it is in the form of a hollow pencil-like structure, the forward end of which is tapered as at 145 so that the unit is generally of quill-shape design.

The composite guide 140 is in the form of a pair of cooperating guide blocks 144 which are fixedly and removably secured *by screws 146 to a stationary part of the frame structure and which are arranged in face to face relationship, the engaging faces being longitudinally grooved so that they define therebetween a cylindrical bore 149, the diameter of which is slightly greater than the diameter of the wire undergoing feeding. The blocks 144 bridge the distance between the feed rolls 50, 52 and the rear face of the plate 104 and the rear edges of the blocks are curved as at 150 in conformity with the curvature or periphery of the individual feed rollers 50 and 52 so that the spring wire stock W enters the bore 149 at substantially the point where it leaves the feed rolls. The front plate 104 is provided with a central opening 152 therethrough into which opening the rear end of the quill 12 extends.

The quill 12- is generally of pencil-shape cylindrical design and when in position on the plate 104, the rear end of the central bore which extends therethrough is in register with the bore 149 in the composite guide 140*. The tapered forward portion 145 of the quill 12 comes substantially to a point in the vicinity of the discharge orifice where the wire stock W issues from the bore 10 and is projected into the forming station S. The specific shape of the forward end of the quill 12 may be varied to accommodate different forming operations on varying types of springs. The conical tapered end illustrated herein is purely exemplary and such an end shape may be found useful in connection with the formation of certain types of springs which require the use of all four of the forming tools 14, 16, -18 and 20. In the manufacture of a particular spring, the forward end of the quill may be modified. For example, where a given spring shape requires the use of but two opposed forming tools, it may be found expedient to form the end of the quill so that it is fiat-sided and of wedge shape configuration. Numerous other shapes for the end of the quill 12 are contemplated and among these are various vertical and oblique cones and pyramids as well as special shapes having relief areas.

The Quill Mounting Means Still referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the guide member or quill 12 is adapted to be removably retained in a spiderlike fixture block having four radially disposed arms 162. A quill holder proper in the form of a collet 164 is press-fitted within a central opening 166 in the block 160, and a clamping nut 168, threadedly received on the collet arms, serves to clamp the latter firmly around the body portion of the quill 12. It will be seen, therefore, that the quill 12 is readily removable from the collet 164 simply by loosening the nut 168 so that quills having different diameter bores 10 designed for use with different gauge wire, or quills having different end shapes, may be selectively substituted in the fixture block 160. Similarly, the screws 146 enable the guide blocks 144 to be interchanged in the apparatus. The fixture block 160 is fixedly secured to the front face of the plate 104 by means of anchoring screws 170 which extend through the block and are threadedly received in the plate 104.

The Wire-Shaping Tools and the Movable Mounting Means Therefor Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 6, the four wire shaping or coiling tools 14, 16, 18 and 20, as well as the means whereby they are individually movably mounted on the framework of the assembly 30 for selective movement into and out of register with the quill orifice, are substantially identical in construction and it is deemed, therefore, that a description of one tool and its mounting means will sufiice for the other tools and their respective mounting means.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a the wire-shaping or coiling tool 14 is in the form of an elongated bar which is formed of hardened steel and embodies a body portion 172. The latter preferably, but not necessarily, rectangular in cross section. The forward operative end of the bar may be given any desired shape to conform with the requirements of use but in the illustrated form of FIG. 4a the forward end of the body portion 172 is reduced in width as at 174 and has an underneath or inside slanting surface 176 adapted to oppose the discharge orifice of the quill 12 when the tool 14 is in operative wire-forming or shaping register with the latter. The surface 176 has formed therein a narrow groove 178 which constitutes the wire-shaping element proper and into which groove the wire stock W issuing from the ori fice of the quill 12 is adapted to be forcibly driven or pushed under the influence of the feed rolls 50 and 52. Although the groove 178 has, for exemplary purposes been shown herein as being formed directly in the metal of the tool 14, it is contemplated that if desired the groove may be provided in a sapphire, ceramic or other stone insert. The wire-shaping tool 14 is incapable of removing metal from the wire stock W and is not intended for such purpose.

Each tool is adjustably mounted in a pivoted tool holder assembly designated in its entirety at 180 in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6 wherein the various tool holder assemblies are best illustrated. Each tool holder assembly is comprised of an irregularly shaped lever 182, a tool fixture 184 and a spring attachment bracket 186. The lever 182 includes a medial boss-like hub 188 having formed therein a central bore 199 adapted to receive therethrough a supporting spindle 191 by means of which the lever is pivotally and adjustably supported on the fixture block 168 in a manner that will be described hereafter. Extending radially from the hub 188 in one direction is a lever arm 192 which, as shown in FIG. 4, is provided with an upturned portion 194 provided at its upper or distal end with an enlarged head 196. Extending laterally from the head 196 in a direction parallel to the axis of the bore 190 is a cylindrical rod 198 having formed thereon at its outer end a fixture head 208 presenting a downwardly facing groove 202 adapted to receive therein the spring-forming tool 14, 16, 18 or 20 as the case may be. A split clamping bolt and nut assembly 204 serves adjustably to retain the tool within the groove 202 in any desired position of longitudinal adjustment therein with the tool extending in the general direction of the lever 182. The rod 198 is adapted to be adjustably clamped in the head 196 for rotational adjustment therein in order that the tool which is carried by the fixture 184 may be adjusted relatively to the quill 12 which it overlies when the tool is in its advanced position as shown in FIG. 4. The means for thus adjusting the rod 198 constitutes one of the features of the present invention and will be described in detail presently.

It is to be noted that in FIGS. 4 and 6, the tool holder assembly 180 is shown as being applied to the tool 14 and that in these two figures of the drawings the quill 12 is illustrated as being disposed vertically. Thus, in connection with the description of the assembly 180, reference to vertical and horizontal directions is made with respect to the particular illustration (FIGS. 4 and 6), although the quill, as actually mounted in the illustrated form of the machine as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, extends in a fore and aft horizontal direction. In FIG. 2, the completely illustrated tool holder assembly 180 is shown as being applied to the tool 18 while in FIG. 3, the completely illustrated assembly 180 is shown as being applied to the tool 20. It will be understood, of course, that a similar assembly 180, not fully illustrated herein, is applied to the tool 16. Projecting radially outwardly from the hub 188 and in substantial alignment with the lever 192 is a second arm 206, the distal end of which is bifurcated to provide a pair of spaced ears 208 through which there extends a shaft 210 having a transverse threaded bore 212 therein in which there is received the upper threaded portion 214 of an adjusting link 216, the link constituting an element of the previously mentioned earn-controlled mechanism 24 (see FIG. 1 in addition to FIG. 4), yet to be described, and by means of which automatic rocking movements are imparted to the movable tool holder assembly 188.

The shaft 210 extends outwardly on one side of the bifurcated end of the lever arm 286 and is formed with a threaded bore 218 through which there is threadedly received an adjustable limit stop screw 220 having a knurled mani ulating head 222. The lower end of the stop screw 220 projects below the shaft 210 and is designed for engagement with the front face of the front plate 104 to limit the extent of swinging movement in one direction of the tool holder assembly 180 for a purpose that will become clear presently. A knurled lock nut 224 is received on the stop screw 228 and cooperates with the upper face of the shaft 210 to lock the stop screw in any longitudinal adjustment thereof. The attaohment bracket 186 is in the form of a thin metal strip one end of which is secured by bolts 227 to the lever arm 206. The other end of the bracket 186 overlies the bifurcated portion of the lever arm 266 and is itself bifurcated as at 226, the bifurcation cooperating with a cross pin 228 by means of which one end of a coil spring 230 may be removably secured to the bracket. The other end of the spring 238 is adapted to be anchored as at 231 to a stationary portion of the framework of the apparatus in order normally to bias the entire assembly 188 in a direction tending to move the tool 14 into its fully advanced operative position of register with the quill 12.

Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the movable tool holder assembly 180 which carries the tool 28 is supported on a spindle 191 which projects downwardly from the left hand radial arm 162 of the fixture block 166 and lies in the general plane of the fixture block. Similarly, the assembly 180 which carries the tool 16 is mounted on a spindle 191 which projects to the right from the lowermost radial arm 162. The assembly 180 which carries the tool 18 is pivotally mounted on a spindle 191 which projects upwardly from the right hand radial arm 162. Finally, the spindle 191 for the assembly 189 which carries the tool 14 projects to the left from the uppermost radial arm 162 of the fixture block 160. By such an arrangement, the four assemblies 188, for the respective tools 14, 16, 18 and 20, are conveniently nested in a generally square pattern around the periphery of the fixture block and these four assemblies are so designed that they are individually possessed of freedom of movement without interfering with one another.

Bearing the above considerations of the nesting of the various tool holder assemblies in mind, and referring now to FIG. 4 wherein the quill 12 is shown as being disposed so that its longitudinal axis extends vertically, it will be seen that as the lever 182 of the assembly 180 which carries the tool 14 rocks in a clockwise direction about the axis of the spindle 191, the groove 178, which constitutes the wire-shaping abutment proper will be constrained to move in an arcuate path from a retracted position wherein it lies below the level of the quill orifice, to an advanced position where it is in register with and overlies the orifice. In the retracted position of the tool 14, the tool will be inclined forwardly and upwardly in its direction of advancing motion and, as it approaches its fully advanced position, it will tend to assume the horizontal position wherein it is illustrated in FIG. 4. Considering all four of the tools 14, 16, 18 and 20, collectively, it will be understood that these tools are all similarly movable in respective arcuate paths and that when they are retracted they will assume inclined positions circumferentially spaced about the axis of the quill 12 and that any particular tool which is selected for operation during the apparatus cycle will, as it moves to its advanced position, travel in an arcuate path radially inwardly and upwardly about the axis of the spindle 191 which is associated therewith until it assumes an operative position with the groove 178 overlying and in register with the quill orifice. The arcuate paths of movement which the various tools 14, 16, 18 and 20 are constrained to follow constitute one of the principal features of the present invention in that by such an arrangement as has been described above, the retracted tools assume a position wherein they are removed from any lateral motion, sweeping movements, or other gyrations of the spring wire stock W which is progressively undergoing forming at the forming station S and remains in attached relation with the quill until such time as it is severed therefrom at the end of the apparatus cycle. Reference to the schematic disclosure of FIG. 14 and in particular to such views as have been indicated at f, h, i, and j will reveal lateral swinging movements of the spring wire stock during formation of a specific spring shape which ordinarily would interfere with tool operation except for the provisions of the present invention wherein the tools are retracted through an arcuate path to an entirely out-of-theway position wherein they are out of the path of movement of the spring wire stock during formation of a large variety of contemplated spring shapes.

As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a of the drawings, the inside surface 176 of the tool 14 is so slanted or angled that when the tool is in its advanced position wherein it operates laterally to bend and deflect in a curved fashion,

the spring wire stock emerging from the discharge orifice of the guide member or quill 12, such surface is disposed at an acute angle with respect to a plane at right angles to the bore or feed channel in the guide member or quill. Because of such angularity of the wire-engaging and deflecting surface 176, the distance between the surface and the discharge orifice progressively decreases as the tool 14 moves into its advanced position and progressively increases as the tool 14 moves out of its advanced position. By reason of the fact that the space between the surface 176 and the discharge orifice progressively decreases as the tool 14 moves into its advanced position, the radius of curvature of the laterally bent and deflected wire stock emerging from the orifice progressively decreases as the tool 14 moves fully into its advanced position. By reason of the fact that the space between the surface 176 and the discharge orifice progressively increases as the tool 14 moves out of its advanced position, the radius of curvature of the laterally bent and deflected Wire stock emerging from the orifice progressively increases as the tool 14 moves-away from the orifice. In view of the fact that the tools 16, 18 and 20 are the same in construction and design as the tool 14, as heretofore described, the inside slanting surfaces 176 of such tools 16, 18 and 20 function in the same manner as the surface 176 of the tool 14.

Angular Adjustment of the Tools in the Longitudinal Plane of the Wire Guide Means are provided, according to the present invention, whereby each tool 14, 16, 18 or 20, as the case may be, may be manually adjusted to alter its angular position in the longitudinal plane of the quill when the tool is in complete register with the quill orifice so that the movements imparted to the tool will produce partial or full spring coils in the Wire stock W of either increased or decreased diameter at any given time during shaping of the wire stock. Accordingly, the enlarged head 196 at the upper end of the upturned portion 194 of the arm 192 is slotted inwardly as at 240 to provide three adjacent block-like sections including a medial section 242 and two outside split block type sections 244. The head 196 is drilled laterally to provide a transverse bore 246 for reception of the fixture rod 198 which extends completely through the three sections. The medial section 242 is provided with a vertical bore 248 which is elongated in horizontal cross section and through which extends an adjusting finger 250, the lower end of which is threadedly received in the rod 198 and the upper end of which projects slightly upwardly above the uppermost level of the section 242 where it is available for manual manipulation. It will be seen, therefore, that by moving the upper end of the adjusting finger 250 in one direction or the other, slight angular adjustments of the rod 198 in a direction to tilt the tool 14 toward or away from the quill orifice may be effected. After a particular adjustment has been made, the rod 198 may be firmly clamped in its adjusted position by means of clamping screws 252 which clamp the split block sections 244 around the rod 198.

Angular Adjustment of the Tools Across the Quill Axis Still referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, means are provided whereby each tool may be turned in a transverse plane of the quill axis so that when the tool is in register with the orifice, the wire issuing from the latter may be deflected in slightly different radial directions. Accordingly, as best seen in FIG. 4b, the previously mentioned clamping bolt and nut assembly 204 includes a clamping bolt 260 having a threaded shank portion 262 which extends through a vertical smooth bore 264 in the enlarged head 200 of the rod 198 with the bolt head 265 nested within an undercut portion 266 in the head. The shank 262 is formed with a transverse slot 268 which is rectangular in cross section. The previously mentioned groove 202 in the underneath side of the head 200 (see also FIG. 4) is adapted to register with the slot 268 when the parts (260, 200) are assembled. The depth of the groove 2.02 is slightly less than the thickness of the tool 14 in a vertical direction, and the vertical extent of the bore 264 is greater than the thickness of the tool 14. A clamping nut 270 is threadedly received on the end of the shank 262. It forms a part of the assembly 204 and serves, when tightened against the upper face of the head 200, to draw the bottom wall of the slot 268 upwardly against the tool 14 and clamp the tool against the top wall of the groove 202 in any desired position of adjustment. The extent of the slot 268 in both vertical and horizontal direction as seen in FIG. 4b is greater than the overall thickness of the tool 14 in either of these directions and, therefore, when the nut 270 is loosened, angular adjustment of the tool 14 in a horizontal plane in any direction may be resorted to. Furthermore, longitudinal sliding adjustment of the tool through the slot 268 and groove 202 may be effected when the nut 270 is loosened.

Lateral Adjustment of the Tools Again referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, means are provided whereby each of the entire tool holder assemblies may be shifted laterally to move the wire-forming groove 178 slightly out of register with the quill orifice to effect certain special forming operations whereby the spring wire stock W issuing from the discharge orifice of the quill 12 will have imparted thereto increments of lateral deflection which are superimposed upon the Wire undergoing formation in addition to the wire bending or coiling functions. Such lateral shifting of the assemblies 180 is effected by the expedient of axially shifting the position of the respective spindles 191 on which these assemblies are mounted. Accordingly, as shown in the exploded view of the spindle in FIG. 4, each spindle 191 is provided with a medial cylindrical section 280 having a frusto-conical bearing surface 282 adjacent one end thereof, and from which there extends axially a threaded end section 284. A similar threaded end section 286 extends axially from the medial section 280 at the end thereof that is remote from the bearing surface 282. The cylindrical section 280 of the spindle 191 is receivable through the bore of the boss 188 in the lever 182 so that the bearing surface 282 seats against a complementary bearing seat 288 at one end of the bore 190. A similar bearing seat 289 is provided at the other end of the bore 190 and is designed for cooperation with a bearing ring 290 having a frusto-conical bearing surface 292 thereon. The bearing ring 290 is adapted to be threadedly received on the threaded end section 286 of the spindle 191. It is formed with a non-circular outer portion 294 by means of which the ring may be turned by way of a suitable tool such as a Wrench, thereby enabling the ring to be tightened against the hub 188 so that the bearing surface 292 thereon cooperates with the bearing surface 289. The outer extremity of the threaded end section 286 is flattened as at 296 to permit turning of the spindle 191 by a suitable tool. The threaded end section 284 of the spindle is adapted to be threadedly received in a threaded bore 298 in the adjacent radial arm 162 of the fixture block 160. The spindle 191 is adapted to be locked in any desired axial position of adjustment within the bore 298 by means of set screws 299 which extend into the fixture block 160 and communicate with the bore 298. From the above description, it will be seen that by manipulation of the bearing ring 290, the two frusto-conic-al bearing surfaces 282 and 292 may be brought into close juxtaposition with their respective bearing seats 288 and 289 so that there will be no end play or lost motion of the hub 188 on the spindle 191. A lock nut 297 serves to hold the bearing ring 290 in its adjusted position, By such an arrangement, the wire-forming tool 14 is positively held against lateral shifting movement in any desired adjusted position thereof during wire-forming operations. When it is desired to adjust the position of the tool laterally, the set screws 299 will be loosened and, utilizing a suitable wrench on the flattened portion 296 of the spindle 191, the spindle may be threaded to a small extent into or out of the fixture block 160 and the tool thus moved transversely of the quill 12. After axial adjustment of th spindle the set screws 299 thereafter will be again tightened in order to lock the spindle in its adjusted position.

Cam Actuating Mechanism for Efiecting Automatic Tool Movements Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, and in particular to FIG. 1, the input or power shaft 49 for the wireforming assembly 30 has mounted thereon two compound cam assemblies designated in their entirety by the reference numerals 300 and 302, respectively. The cam assembly 300 is designed, through suitable linkage mechanism subsequently to be described, to control the rocking movements of the tool holder assembly 180 for the tool 20. The cam assembly 302 is similarly designed to control the movements of the assembly 180 for the tool 18. The shaft 49 thus, in addition to constituting the power input shaft for the assembly 30, constitutes a cam shaft for imparting rotational movement to the cam assemblies 300 and 302. A second cam shaft 304 is disposed above the level of the shaft 49 andextends at right angles to said shaft 49. The shafts 49 and 304 are operatively connected together in driving relationship by gears 301 and 303, respectively. The cam shaft 304 has mounted thereon two compound cam assemblies 306 and 308, respectively (see FIG. 2). The cam assembly 306 is adapted to control the rocking movements of the tool holder assembly 180 for the tool 14, Similarly, the cam assembly 308 is adapted to control the rocking movements of the tool holder assembly 180 for the tool 16. The shafts 49 and 304 are rotatably journalled in the aforementioned framework, suitable anti-friction bearing assemblies 310 being provided for this purpose.

The various cam assemblies 300, 302, 306 and 308 are identical in construction except insofar as the cutting of the various cam surfaces thereon may be concerned. It is contemplated, according to the present invention, that, if desired, single cam plates, each cut to a desired contour calculated to produce a particular shape in the finished wire spring undergoing forming, maybe employed. However, by the use of compound cam assemblies such as have been illustrated herein and which will be described in detail presently, it is possible, merely by effecting certain cam adjustments, to vary the effective cam contour and produce springs or wire shapes of different configurations without necessitating cam assembly replacement. It is thought, therefore, that in view of the similarity of the various cam structures 300, 302, 306 and 308, a description of one of these cam assemblies will sufiice for the others.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the cam control mechanism 24 illustrated therein involves the cam assembly 300 which controls the movements of the tool 20. The cam assembly 300 is operatively mounted on the shaft 49 and is of the well-known adjustable type wherein two cam plates 311 and 312 are circumferentially adjustable on the shaft 49 to produce a cam depression 313 on the periphery of the composite cam assembly. By circumferentially adjusting the position of the plates 311 and 312 relatively to each other, the character of the depression 313 may be varied as desired. The composite cam 300 has associated therewith a follower roller 316 mounted upon the primary follower arm 318 of a compound cam follower structure, including a secondary follower arm 320. The arms 31% and 320 are pivotally connected as at 322 and 324, respectively, to a fixed portion of the framework of the apparatus, and an adjustable slide and bearing memher 326 is slidably mounted on the secondary follower arm 320 and is capable of being secured in any desired position of longitudinal adjustment thereon by means of a set screw 328. The lower end of the slide 326' is adapted to bear against the upper longitudinal edge of a hardened wear plate 330 (see also FIG. 7) spaced laterally from the arm 318 by means of spacer members 331 which are welded to the wear plate 330 and the arm 318. The compound follower assembly has a variable magnification factor which is dependent upon the setting of slide 326. It is obvious that as the slide is moved toward or away from the pivotal axis 324 of the arm 320, the magnification factor will be increased and decreased respectively so that the normal throw of the cam will be reflected by a corresponding change in displacement of the distal end of the arm 320. A compound follower assembly such as has been illustrated herein is well known in the art and no claim is made to any novelty associated with the same except insofar as its association with the tool supporting assembly 180, the movement of which it controls, may be concerned.

The distal end of the arm 320 is pivotally connected as at 323 to the previously mentioned link 216 by means of a socket member 332 which threadedly receives the lower threaded end 334 of the link 216. The threads on the upper threaded portion 214 of the link 216 are of opposite pitch from the threads on the lower threaded portion 334 so that turning movement of the rod 216 about its axis in one direction or the other will vary the effective length of the link 216 so that the initial position of the tool supporting assembly may be manually adjusted prior to or during apparatus operations. The upper end of the link 216 carries a knurled head 336, and a knurled lock nut 338 serves to maintain the link in any desired position of adjustment.

It is to be noted at this point that the limit stop screw 220 (see also FIG. 4) which is threadedly received through the outer end of the shaft 210, as previously described, is designed for engagement with the front plate 104 to limit the extent of clockwise rocking movement of the lever 182 and, consequently, to determine or fix the fully advanced position of the associated tool when the same moves into register with the orifice of the quill 12. The knurled manipulating head 222 at the upper end of the stop screw 220 may thus be employed to regulate the position of the tool in its operating position either by presetting the limit stop screw 220 prior to apparatus operations or by adjusting the position of the screw 220 during spring forming operations, as, for example, to maintain spring forming operations uniform by empirical procedure when the formation of successive springs by the machine commences to deviate from a known standard due to wear of the machine parts, maladjustment thereof or for other reasons.

The Cut-O75 Knife and the Actuating Mechanism Therefor Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 9, the cut-off knife 22 is carried on a rock-shaft 350 and is adjustably clamped thereto by a clamping plate 352 which engages the knife 22 and clamps the same against the bottom of a groove 354 in the shaft 350. Clamping screws 355 serve to maintain the plate in its clamped position. The rock-shaft 350 is rotatably journalled at its ends as at 356 in the standards 128 on the front plate 104 of the framework. A radially extending torque arm 358 on the shaft 350 is provided with a bifurcated distal end 360. The latter carries a cross pin 362 which threadedly receives the upper end of an adjustable link 364 forming a part of the adjustable linkage mechanism 56 (see FIG. 1) which is similar in its construction and operation to the various mechanisms 24 which control the adjustments of the various tools and which, therefore, need not be described in detail except to point out that it includes a knurled adjusting head 366 and a lock nut 368 for the link 364, together with a threaded connection 370 at its lower end with the distal end of a cam follower arm 372 associated with the knife-actuating cam mechanism 54. The cam mechanism 54 includes a radially extending cam plate 374 on the shaft 49 and a cam follower roller 376 on the follower arm 372. The cam plate 374 has a cam surface 378 thereon, the high point 380 of which represents the actual cut-off point of the cut-off knife 22. A spring 382 urges the follower arm 372 in contact with a rest pin 384. When the follower arm 372 rests against the rest pin the roller 376 is in the path of movement of the cam plate 374.

The Auxiliary Clutch Mechanism The auxiliary clutch device 8 which coacts with the shaft 64, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 10, is operable under the control of the adjustable linkage mechanism 62 and is provide for the purpose of imparting additional increments of rotational movement to the shaft 64, and consequently to the feed rolls, before or after wire feeding movements under the control of the segment arm 92. The clutch device 58 is of conventional design and includes a sleeve 404} which surrounds the shaft 64 and which is provided with internal wedge surfaces 402 for wedging cooperation with a series of driving rollers 406 in the usual manner so that relative rotation between the sleeve and shaft in one direction will cause the clutch to engage the shaft while relative rotation between these parts in the opposite direction will allow the shaft to overrun the sleeve. An ear 404 extends radially outwardly from the sleeve 400 and carries a swivelled boss 406 through which a threaded portion 408 on an adjusting link 410 is threadedly received. The link 410 constitutes an element of the previously mentioned adjustable linkage mechanism 62 and this mechanism is similar to the previously described mechanism 26, 56 described and hence needs no further description except to point out that the lower end of the link is operatively connected as at 411 to a follower arm 412 forming an element of the cam mechanism 54. The follower arm is spring pressed as at 414 and carries a follower roller 416 which rides upon a cam 418 having a cam protuberance 420 designed to engage the roller 416 and rock the arm 412 in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 10, to elevate the link 410 and rock the sleeve 400 in a clockwise direction and thus impart limited turning movement to the shaft 64 after the segment arm 92 has completed its effective wirefeeding stroke. Such additional turning movement of the shaft 64 will serve to efiect the feeding of a small terminal length of the wire stock W at the orifice of the quill 12 prior to severance of the wire by the cut-off knife. It is obvious that if a given spring shape does not call for the provision of such a terminal end, the cam 418 may be disabled.

EXEMPLARY SPRING SHAPES In FIG. 11 an exemplary wire spring shape S1 has been illustrated, the shape being capable of manufacture by the apparatus of the present invention, and involw'ng during the formation thereof, the use of all four of the illustrated forming tools 14, 16, 18 and 20. The shape S1 involves the formation of numerous right angle bends in the wire stoc'k W from which the shape is formed and it also involves deflection of the wire to produce various curved regions but it does not involve the formation of complete helical coils. In FIG. 12, a second exemplary spring shape S2 has been illustrated, which, in addition to involving the various bends and curves of the shape S1, further involves a medial helical coil section.

The spring shape S1 of FIG. 11 is progressively generated at the end of the quill 12 at the forming station S from end to end, commencing with the right hand end of the structure S1 as shown in this view. Certain of the sections are connected to adjacent sections by right angle bends and certain other sections are curved sections which :merge with adjacent straight linear sections. The various sections and bends of the spring shape S1 are alphabetically labelled reading from right to left from the letter a to the letter 0, the point at which the spring S1 has been severed from the quill 12 indicated by the letter P. The linear extent of each section is indicated in the table of FIG. 13 to avoid needless description regarding specific lengths. The values indicated in the table of FIG. 13 represent any convenient unit of length, for example, units of A. The two end sections a and 0 have a length of /2 unit each. The medial sections e and k have lengths of two units each, while all the remaining sections, both straight and curved have a length equal to one unit. As indicated in the table, of course, the points of wire bend indicated at b, d, l and n are devoid of length.

The spring shape S2 of FIG. 12 being similar in its design to the spring shape S1 of FIG. 11 has been similarly labelled. However, since the medial curved section It is not present in the shape S2 but has been replaced by a series of helical coils, these latter coils have been labelled h. No table of length is believed to be necessary to illustrate the nature of the shape S2.

THE OPERATION OF THE APPARATUS Wire Feed and Tool Movements at the Forming Station Referring now to FIG. 14, wherein the wire feeding and tool operations which take place at the forming station S during the formation of the spring S1 shown in FIG. 11 are schematically portrayed, the four tools 14, 16, 18 and 20 assume their retracted positions at the commencement of forming operations. The short spring section a is fed from the orifice early in the forming cycle as may be ascertained from an inspection of FIG. 15, the feeding thereof taking place while the segment arm 92 is at the commencement of its stroke so that the rate of wire feed is relatively slow. To create the bend b, the tool 14 moves into register with the orifice, thus engaging the protruding wire at its base and effecting the bend b as shown in view 14b. The tool is immediately withdrawn and the wire continues to be fed to create the straight section 0 as shown in the view 14c. At this time, all of the tools remain retracted. Formation of the right angle bend d is illustrated in FIG. 14d, this 'bend being created by movement of the tool 21) into register with the orifice. After the tool 20 has been withdrawn as shown in view 142, the wire continues to feed to produce the relatively long section e, and thereafter, as shown in view 14f, the tool 16 is brought into register with the orifice and the wire is allowed to feed against or impinges against the tool to create the curved section 1. After the tool 16 is retracted, the wire is fed as shown in view 14g to produce the relatively long straight section g. The tool 14 then moves into register with the orifice as shown in view 14h to produce the curve h of FIG. 11 with the tool being maintained slightly spaced from the orifice to produce the desired radius. It is to be noted at this point that the tool movement which takes place under the influence of its controlling cam assembly is not carried out to completion and the limit stop pin 220 of FIG. 4 does not engage the front plate 104 and the cam surfaces involved maintain the tool 14 slightly spaced from the orifice to give the desired radius to the curve h.

It is deemed unnecessary to continue with the description of the remaining forming operations since the previously described operations associated with the creation of the right angle bends b and d and with the formation of the curved section and h are exemplary of the operations that follow. Reference to views 141' to 140, inclusive, of FIG. 14, illustrate these forming operations clearly.

The above description has been made with reference to single operation of the various tools 14, 16, 18 and 29 with the individual tools being selectively and successively moved into and out of their operative wire forming positions. It is to be distinctly understood, however, that it is within the province or purview of the present invention to design control-cam shapes which will enable two or more tools to perform work on the wire stock at the same time to force the wire at resultant vectorial angles radially of the quill.

The Cut-Ofi Operation In view 14p the cut-off operation, utilizing the knife 22 is clearly shown. At this time, the last section has been fed from the quill orifice and the cam mechanism 54 is actuated, as previously described, and serves to swing the rock-shaft 350 and the knife 22 (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 9) about their horizontal axis of swinging movement to the cutting position shown in view 14p to sever the completed spring S1 from the quill 12.

THE CAM CHART OF FIG. 15

As previously stated, the apparatus is cyclic in its nature. The effective operation of the various tool-controlling cam assemblies 300, 302, 306 and 308, and of the cut-off cam mechanism 54, takes place during approximately 270 of the mid-cycle of the apparatus. Similarly, the effective stroke of the segment arm 92 takes place during this portion of the mid-cycle. Accordingly, the cam chart of FIG. 15 illustrates only this effective portion of the cycle. Since the segment arm 92 is actuated by the eccentric crank pin 96, approximate harmonic motion is imparted to the arm as has been indicated by superimposing a semi-circular are over the cam move ment representations of the chart. The are has been divided into ten twenty-four degree sections. As previously set forth, the spring S1 is 12 units in length and the linear feed of the wire has been indicated in unit lengths from 1 to 12, inclusive, along the bottom of the chart.

It will be noted from a consideration of the chart in connection with the table of lengths shown in FIG. 13, the spring illustration of FIG. 11, and the schematic illustration of FIG. 14, that at approximately 90 and at approximately 116 in the cycle of the apparatus where the cam assemblies 306 and 300 actuate the tools 14 and 20, respectively (FIG. 14b), the rate of wire feed is relatively slow. Similarly, near the end of wire feeding operations at approximately 242 and 270 in the cycle of operation where the cams 302 and 306 actuate the tools 18 and 14, respectively, the rate of wire feed is similarly relatively slow. This slow feed of the wire stock W takes place during formation of the bends b and d near one end of the spring S1 and during formation of the bends l and 0 near the other end of the spring. It will also be noted that from approximately 142 to 164, and from approximately 172 to 188, and from approximately 192 to 212 in the cycle of operation where the three curved portions 1, h and j are set into the spring wire stock W, in the order named, by the two cam assemblies 306 and 308, the rate of wire feed is relatively fast.

These considerations are important inasmuch as they illustrate the adaptation of the present apparatus to the formation of a wide variety of coiled springs having end regions which are laterally displaced from the coil helix, as, for example, where cross-overs, loops, and the like are formed at the end of helical springs. Thus, the bends which occur at the opposite ends of the spring may be the result of quick movements of the tools involved into and out of register with the quill orifice. Likewise, the medial coiled region of the spring is fed from the orifice at a relatively rapid rate so that the time necessary for the various tools to remain in register with the orifice is appreciably shortened. This results in a shortened operation cycle in terms of the time involved for the production of a given spring with a consequent increase in spring production.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for progressively shaping longitudinally moving wire into articles having different portions of different predetermined shape, said apparatus including a fixed wire guide having a rear end and a forward end, said guide having a bore terminating at its forward end in a rigid feed orifice, feed means for successively forcibly projecting lengths of wire longitudinally through said bore and orifice, means for shaping the moving wire into the articles including a plurality of wire deflecting tools separately mounted adjacent said guide, each of said tools having a wire deflecting surface and each movable along a separate and different path from a retracted position to an advanced position to position its deflecting surface across the axis of the guide bore to engage and deflect a portion of a moving wire length being forcibly projected from the orifice against said surface, each of said tools in its advanced position deflecting the wire in a direction different from that of each of the other tools, and means for selectively moving said tools between their retracted and advanced positions in timed relationship with the operation of said feed means.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the feed means is intermittently operable to draw the wire from a substantially continuous supply and which includes in addition, means operable on completion of the shaping of each article for severing the wire adjacent the orifice.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein a plurality of tool supporting arms are arranged about said guide and pivotally mounted at one end thereof for rocking movement about separate axes positioned around and in spaced relation with respect to said guide, each of said axes being positioned substantially at right angles to the axis of the bore, and said tools being respectively mounted on the other ends of the respective arms.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which each arm in the retracted position of its associated tool extends from its axis at one side of said guide to a region where said other end thereof is positioned on the opposite side of the guide rearwardly of the feed orifice and each arm is operable on rocking movement thereof about its axis during projection of a wire length to move its associated tool from the retracted position into the advanced position.

5. Automatic apparatus for progessively shaping moving deformable wire into substantially identical articles having different portions of different predetermined shape, said apparatus comprising a frame, an elongated wire guide mounted fixedly on the frame, said guide having a wire receiving and feeding bore therethrough, said bore terminating at one end of the guide in a rigid wire-discharge orifice, power-operated means mounted on the frame, disposed adjacent to the other end of the wire guide, and operative to push lengths of wire through said bore and out through the discharge orifice, each length of wire being sufficient for the formation of one of said articles, a plurality of tool holder assemblies mounted around the wire guide, said assemblies being respectively provided with tools having wire deflecting surfaces thereon, and being movably mounted on said frame so that said tools are individually movable along separate and different paths from retracted positions wherein the tools are positioned between the ends of the wire guide and spaced from the wire guide and advanced positions wherein the wire deflecting surfaces of the tools extend across the axis of said bore and into the path of movement of the wire lengths pushed through the discharge orifice to the end that said wire lengths impinge directly against said surfaces so that the latter engage and deflect portions of the moving wire of said lengths laterally with respect to said axis of the bore, said wire deflecting surfaces on the tools together with the wire pushing means and also the orifice and bore of the wire guide constituting the sole means for effecting lateral deflection of said portions of the wire lengths pushed through said orifice, and power-operated means mounted on the frame for 21 selectively and individually moving said tool holder assemblies back and forth between their advanced and retracted positions in timed relation with the operation of said wire pushing means.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim wherein the wire guide adjacent said one end is shaped to provide clearance for accommodating movement of the tools throughout their ranges of operation and clearance for accommodating pronounced lateral deflection by the tools of the wire pushed through the discharge orifice.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein at least one of the assemblies includes means whereby its tool may be adjusted so that in its advanced position the defleeting surface of said tool is located at any desired position transversely of the axis of the bore of the wire guide.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein at least one of the assemblies includes means whereby its tool may be adjusted so that in its advanced position the deflecting surface of said tool is located at any desired position angularly with respect to the axis of the bore of the wire guide.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein the wire deflecting surface of one of the tools is so oriented that, when the tool holder assembly for the one tool is in its advanced position, it is disposed at an acute angle to the axis of the bore, and the path of movement of the tool assembly for the one tool is such that, when the assembly moves in one direction with respect to its advanced position, the axial distance between the discharge orifice and said surface progressively decreases and thereby causes a progressive decrease in the radius of curvature of the portion of the wire being laterally deflected by said surface and, when the assembly moves in the opposite direction with respect to its advanced position, the axial distance between the orifice and said surface progressively increases and thereby causes a progressive increase in the radius of curvature of the wire being laterally deflected by said surface.

10. An apparatus for progressively shaping moving wire from a substantially continuous supply into articles having different portions of predetermined shape, said apparatus including a support, a fixed wire guiding having an elongated portion provided with an inner end mounted on the support and provided with an outer end projecting outward from the support and said guide having a bore therethrough terminating in a rigid feed orifice at the outer end of the elongated portion, intermittently operable feed means for successively forcibly projecting lengths of wire through said bore and orifice, each length being suflicient for the formation of one of said articles, a plurality of wire engaging and deflecting tools mounted in the vicinity of the projecting portion of the guide but spaced therefrom to provide a clearance space around the entire outer surface of the projecting portion of the guide, each tool having a wire deflecting surface and each tool being movable along a separate and different path from a retracted position to an advanced position to position its deflecting surface across the axis of the guide bore to engage and deflect a portion of a moving wire length being forcibly projected from the orifice against said surface, at least one of said tools being operable, following formation of a portion of the article by another of said tools, to deflect said last named portion rearwardly of the orifice along the outside of the projecting portion of the guide into said clearance space during formation of a following portion of the article by said one tool, means operable following completion of the article for severing the wire adjacent the orifice, and means for selectively and successively moving said tools between their wire engaging and retracted positions in timed relationship with the operation of said feed means.

11. Apparatus for forming wire from a substantially continuous supply into articles having at least three differently oriented portions, said apparatus being of the type wherein a wire shaping operation is effected by forcibly impinging the wire against a deflecting surface and substantially all of the wire shaping energy is supplied by a means for projecting the wire against such surface, said apparatus including a fixed Wire guide having a bore therethrough terminating in an orifice, intermittently operable feed means for forcibly projecting lengths of wire from the supply through said bore and orifice, a first tool having a wire deflecting surface, said first tool being movable along a first path to position its deflecting surface across the axis of the guide bore to engage and deflect a leading portion of a wire length being projected from the orifice in one direction to form a first portion of the article, a second tool having a wire deflecting surface, said second tool being movable along a second path different from said first path to position its deflecting surface across the axis of the guide bore to engage and deflect another portion of the wire length being projected from the orifice between said first portion and the orifice to form a second portion of the article, a third tool having a wire deflecting surface, said third tool being movable along a third path different from said first and second paths to position its deflecting surface across the axis of the ide bore to engage and deflect the wire being projected from the orifice between said second portion of the article and the orifice to form a third portion of the article While bodily moving the previously formed portions about the orifice axis, means for moving said tools along said separate paths into and out of engagement with the moving wire in timed sequence relative to the operation of the feed means, and means operable on completion of the formation of the article to sever the latter from the wire supply.

12. In wire forming apparatus of the type having a fixed wire guide having a bore therethrough terminating in a feed orifice and wire feed means for successively forcibly projecting lengths of wire from a substantially continuous supply through said bore and orifice, means mounted adjacent said guide and operable during projection of each wire length through said bore and orifice for forming each length into a completed coil spring of the type having a connecting portion at each end and a coil spring portion intermediate said connecting portions, said coil spring portion having a plurality of adjacent coils lying substantially in planes substantially at right angles to the planes of the connecting portions, said spring forming means including a first connecting portion forming tool, a coiling tool and a second connecting portion forming tool, each tool having a wire deflecting surface, means for moving the first tool along one path to position its deflecting surface across the axis of the orifice to engage and deflect a leading portion of the moving wire length being forcibly projected from the orifice against said surface to form a first connecting portion and for thereafter retracting said first tool, means for moving the coiling tool along a second path to position its deflecting surface across the axis of the orifice to engage and deflect a following portion of the moving wire length being forcibly projected from the orifice against its deflecting surface to coil the wire to form the intermediate coil spring portion and for thereafter retracting the coiling tool, and means for moving the second connecting portion forming tool along a third path to position its deflecting surface across the axis of the orifice to engage and deflect a moving trailing portion of the wire length being forcibly projected from the orifice against its deflecting surface to form the other of said connecting portions and for thereafter retracting said last named tool, means for severing the completed coil spring from the Wire supply adjacent the orifice, and means for operating the wire feed means, tool moving means and severing means in timed relationship.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wadsworth Ian. 5, 1915 Linberg et a1 I an. 4, 1916 Greenbowe Feb. 4, 1930 Leal Apr. 13, 1937 Bergevin Oct. 25, 1938 Halvorsen et a1. Mar. 17, 1942 24 Holmes et a1. Apr. 27, 1943 Hoernle Ian. 6, 1948 Rcinartz May 31, 1949 Zimmerman Oct. 4, 1949 Zweyer Ian. 15, 1952 Bank et a1 Apr. 27, 1954 Buttner May 29, 1956 Wolf Ian. 17, 1961

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